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A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Alexandra Drew

Good Morning

In a society that celebrates youth, ‘anti-ageing’ has become a bit of a buzzword. I’ve long suspected that it’s a misnomer, but now I’m certain. You see, I looked up the meaning of the word ‘anti’ recently, and it means ‘the opposite of’, ‘preventing’, or ‘opposed to’.

Although we can limit some of the effects of ageing, unless you’re Benjamin Button, there is no ‘opposite’ of ageing. Ageing can’t be ‘prevented’ any more than time can be dialled back, and what use is being ‘opposed to’ ageing – are we to march in a demonstration outraged at the injustice? And against who?

Now I’m not thrilled at the sight of the ever-increasing circles under my eyes either, or indeed some of the other changes I’m experiencing as a woman who turned 50 this year.

But these changes are natural, aren’t they? And there are good things that come with our advancing years – experience, meaningful relationships, stability, and dare I say it, ‘wisdom’.

Perhaps pro-ageing is a more helpful term than anti-ageing – we can’t actually age backwards, so we may as well celebrate the changes in our lives as we age forwards, and make the most of the good ones.

In the Bible we find that God designed us to age. You could say that God is pro-ageing. And that’s a good thing. Ageing means living. Life is the antidote to death. It also tells us that age is a divine blessing. Isn’t that something?

So heavenly father, thank you for the blessing of ageing and the wonderful things that come with time. Help us to navigate the challenges of later life, and to embrace each year you give us.

Amen

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